Early Scottish Metrical Tales
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EARLY SCOTTISH METRICAL TALES EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTIONS BY DAVID LAING, LL.D., Editor of "The Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland" etc., etc. NEW EDITION LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS & 00 GLASGOW: THOMAS D. MOEISON 1889 PUBLISHERS' NOTE. IN issuing a new edition of this interesting work, the publishers have only to remark that it is printed verbatim from the edition issued by the distinguished editor. In every instance the original spelling is adhered to. Careful attention and effect has also been given to the considerable list of errata detailed at the end of the original edition. CONTENTS. PAGE THE PREFACE, . \ . 9 THE HISTORY OF SIR EGLIN, SIR GRAHAME, AND SIR GRAY STEEL, 53 THE THRIE TA1LES OF THE THRIE PRIESTS OF PEBL1S THE PREFACE, ..... 137 THE FIRST TAILE, . , . 139 THE SECOND TAILE, . 150 THE THRID TAILE, . ... 167 ANE GODLIE DREAME, COMPYL1T IN SCOTISH METER. BE M. M., . 179 viii. CONTENTS. THE HISTORY OF A LORD AND HIS THREE SONS, IN METER, . 199 THE RING OF THE ROY ROBERT, KING '. 229 OF SCOTLAND, .. KING ESTMERE, . , . 239 THE BATTLE OF HARLAW, < . 251 LICHTOWN'S DREME, . 263 THE MURNING MAIDIN, . 269 THE EPISTILL OF THE HERMEIT OF ALLAREIT TO THE GRAY FREIRS, 277 THE HISTORY OF ROSWALL AND . 283 LILLIAN, . J POEM BY GLASSINBERRY, . 311 . 317 SIR JOHN BARLEYCORN, . THE PEEFACE. THE Metrical Tales and Romance Poems peculiar to this Country, are very inconsiderable in number, when com- pared with those which belong to the Sister-Kingdom. But from various allusions to be found to the number and popularity of such compositions in Scotland, at an early period, it is evident that this portion of our Ancient Literature, in its transmission to modern times, must have suffered in a more than common degree. Nor indeed " was it to be conceived, at the time Quhen gude MaTcars rang weill into Scotland" that our native Minstrels should have been behind their neighbours, either for invention, or facility of composition, in thus contributing to the amusement of their countrymen. In proof of the general esteem in which these works of fiction were held, it may here be sufficient to mention what has been incidentally recorded of two of the most renowned of the Scotish Monarchs. When the followers of Robert the Bruce, in his retreat to the Isle of Rachrin, at the close of the year 1306, had to be ferried over Lochlomond in a boat, which held bu-t " three persons at a time, that gude King," is said, by his " venerable biographer, to have amused them for a night and a day," by reading portions of the Romance of 1 Ferumbrace. After giving a brief detail of that part of 1 This is evidently the Romance of Fierabras, but it must have been a different and earlier translation from the French, than that quoted by Mr. Ellis in his abstract of the story. (Metrical Bomances, Tol. ii. p. 369, &c.) 10 THE PREFACE. the narrative, which relates how Roland and his com- panions, the dousiperes of France, with only one atten- dant, manfully held out the Tower of Egrymor, when besieged by the Soudan of Babylon, and a whole host of Sarazens, the Archdeacon of Aberdeen declares The gud King apon this mdner Comfort thaim that war him ner ; And maid thaim gamyn and solace, Till that his folk all passyt was. 2 From the same authority we learn, that on other occa- " " sions, Robert the Bruce was wont to comfort his adherents in their difficulties by relating to them Auld storyis of men that wer Set in tyll hard assayis ser. The other instance alluded to, is of James the First of Scotland, who, according to the contemporaneous narra- tive of the very tragical fate of that accomplished Prince, spent the night previous to his assassination, yn REDYNG OF ROMANS, yn syngyng and pypynge, yn harpyng, and yn other honest solaces of grete pleasance and disport. Were direct evidence, therefore, wanting, we might be warranted to infer that compositions which afforded delight, and were familiar to our Kings, would neither be unknown nor disregarded by their subjects. But deeply as we cannot but regret the loss which the early Litera- ture of Scotland has sustained in the almost total destruction of these tales of romantick and legendary fiction,-r-it is a subject of inquiry, which might lead to a discussion disproportionate to the size and contents of this volume. One circumstance, however, may be mentioned, to shew that these compositions were not 2 Barbour's Bruce, book ii. line 858-962. Dr. Jamieson's 4to. edit. 1820. THE PEEFACE. 11 in a written at a uncommon state, remote period ; although, with the exception of charters, hardly any MSS. (and not one in verse,) written in Scotland, are known to be extant of an older date than the middle of the Fifteenth Century : Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith, the ancestor of the Earls of Morton, in his Last Will and Testament, dated in the year 1390, bequeaths to his son and heir, OMNES LIBROS MEOS TAM STATUTORUM REGNI SCOCIE QUAM ROMANCIE." 3 IN the present volume, a few Metrical Tales, from copies of a comparatively recent date, are collected, together with some Scotish poems, which appear to have enjoyed more than a common degree of popularity. That most of these existed in copies of a much earlier time, will be seen from the respective notices which are sub- joined. The chief object in submitting this little collec- tion to the Publick is, the hope that it may be the means of bringing some of these productions to light, in a more 4 antique garb. But whether or not the appearance of this volume shall contribute in any way to a more care- ful and extended research after such Remains, the Editor flatters himself that he performs an acceptable service in rendering attainable some few of these 'delectable' compositions, which even in their present state, (modern- ized and corrupted as most of them confessedly are,) will nevertheless be allowed to possess no ordinary charms 3 Original deed, in the possession of the Earl of Morton. 4 This little collection may be considered as forming a supplement to a volume printed about three years ago, under the title of Select Pieces of the Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland. In the view of republishing this work, the Editor may here take the opportunity to solicit information on the subject, entertaining the hopes, that it is still possible to retrieve many more of these ANCIENT RELICKS from unmerited neglect and oblivion. 12 THE PREFACE. for those who are gratified with the simple and unaffected strains which gave delight to our ancestors. To such as feel any interest in the revival of the literary productions of remoter ages, the Editor may use the words of an old English writer, and say, " Accept my paynes, allow me thankes, If I deserue the same, If not, yet lette not meaning well Be payde \vith checke and blame. For I am he that buylde the bowre, I hewe the hardened stone ; And thou art owner of the house, The paine is mine alone. I burne the bee, I hold the hyue, The is Somrner toyle myne ; And all bicause when Winter commes The honie may be thine." s EDINBURGH : JUNE, MDCCCXXV. I. THE HISTORY OF SIR GRAY-STEILL. THIS is the Romance of Eger and Grime, which Bishop <c Percy says, is a well invented tale of Chivalry, scarce " inferior to of Ariosto's 6 and of which Mr. any ; George Ellis has given an extended analysis. 17 That it was extremely popular in Scotland for a length of time, will 5 "Tragical Tales, &e., by George TurbervMe. Imprinted at Lon- don, by Abell leffs, 1587." 8vo. bl. 1. sign. Biii. 6 Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, 4th edit. vol. iii. p. xxxviii. 7 Specimens of English Metrical Romances, vol. iii. p. 308 to 357. THE PREFACE. 13 appear from various allusions which, it may here be proper to specify. Indeed, this Romance would seem, along with the poems of Sir David Lyndsay, and the histories of Robert the Bruce, and of Sir William Wallace, to have formed the standard productions of the vernacu- lar literature of the country. The author of The Scots Hudibras, originally printed at London, 1681, under the title of a Mock Poem, or the Whigg's Supplication, in describing Ralph's Library, says, And there lyes books, and here lyes ballads, As Davie Lindsay, and GRAY-STEEL, Bell Squire Meldrura, Bevis, and Adam ; There Bruce and Wallace. " To this effect, John Taylor, the Water Poet," a noted character in the reign of Charles I., speaks of Sir Degre, Sir Grime, and Sir Gray Steele, as having the same popu- larity in Scotland, that the Heroes of other romances enjoyed in their respective countries "filling, (as he quaintly says) whole volumes, witli the ayrie imaginations of their unknoivne and unmatchable worths." 8 We might readily believe, therefore, that this Romance had been often printed, if we were otherwise ignorant of the fact, and yet, it is remarkable enough, that every ancient copy should have hitherto eluded the most active and unremit- ting research. The earliest printed edition of which we can find any special notice, is one presumed to be from the press of Thomas Bassandyne, who is celebrated in our typographi- cal annals as the first Printer of the Sacred Scriptures in Scotland. In an Inventory of his goods and stock in 8 Argument to the verses in Praise of the Great O'Toole, originally printed 1623, 8vo., and included in Taylor's Works, 1634, folio, sign.